Did anyone else besides me imitate Nomar Garciaparra's pre-AB rituals as a kid? When Nomar was on the Red Sox, I idolized him. Still do, as a matter of fact. I was devastated when he was traded, but when the move was made, I didn't know where it would all end up.

I was really happy when the news broke that Nomar was part of the 2014 Red Sox Hall of Fame class, and so was Nomar, according to NESN.

“You mention about [the] trade and how I felt. People will ask me, and I’ve heard, ‘Oh, he was bitter.’ If I was so bitter — I don’t know how much more to explain how much I love the Red Sox and the Nation other than signing a one-day [contract] and retiring as a Red Sox. I wanted to do that,” Garciaparra said. “I don’t know what other action, what I could say more about what the Red Sox mean to me — the organization, the fans and what they all meant to me. That, first and foremost, I think, speaks volumes.

“And now, to be honored like this? Like I said, this is unexpected. I never thought about this or played for this. But to be recognized like this, I’m lost for words. Because it really means so much to me. There was a moment where I was just kind of sitting by myself and I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness, I’m getting inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.’ And what that truly does mean to me, I’m not going to lie, I started tearing up. Because it means that much.”

He may not have been a part of the 2004 World Series team, but I think the HOF induction is well earned both for the numbers he put up and his hard nosed style of play.